The First Ceasefire
by xXNiueXx
Summary: RED Scout and BLU Sniper have a forbidden friendship that they are struggling to keep together. When Scout is in an accident, it leads them to re-evaluate their friendship. Scout/Sniper pairing. Rated higher for other stuff later on.
1. The First Ceasefire

The RED Scout knew what he was doing could get him in serious trouble. _If,_ that is, he got caught. Scout was too smart and too fast to get caught.

But, apart from all of that, he was _hungry._ They were running out of good food back in the RED base, but he knew there was food near the BLU base.

The BLU Sniper they had, he was a good guy. He'd planted an apple tree at one point, and always took care of it.

He and the RED Scout had become... not _friends _exactly, but they could trust each other enough.

Scout snuck over to the apple tree almost every night, often meeting the Sniper under the stars.

They had met one late evening, when the REDs had run out of food altogether.

They were getting food shipped in the next morning, but Scout was starving. He had seen the BLU Sniper tending to his tree a few days ago, and he knew there were apples.

So, he waited until night had fallen, and the snuck out of his base to steal some. He had made it to the tree without any problems, and began to gather the few that had fallen around the base.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him backwards. Scout squealed as he was wrapped into someone's arms. "What do yeh think yer doin', mate?" The BLU Sniper asked.

"N...nothing..." Scout stammered, trying to sound brave. In fact, he was absolutely terrified by the Australian.

"Yer on BLU territory, boy, _and_ yer stealing my apples. What'm I gonna' do with ya?" The Sniper asked quietly.

"P-p-please... don't kill me!" Scout whined.

The BLU chuckled. "I'm not gonna kill yeh. It's ceasefire- remember? I'm not gonna kill yeh unless we're battling. I'm not that kind of person. I'm a professional with standards, mate."

Scout stopped trembling. "So... you're not going to kill me?"

"Nah, mate. Now tell me, what're you doing over here under my tree?"

"Well... I uh... we... sorta ran out of food... and I was really hungry..." Scout let out a sob.

"Nah, mate, don't cry. It's alright." Sniper let go of the young boy, who sank to the ground.

"I'm really sorry... I was just really hungry..." He whispered.

"Didn't ya' hear me? I said it was all right!"

Scout stopped crying. "Really? So... so I can have some?"

Sniper sat down next to him. "Sure, why not?"


	2. Rocket Launchers

One night, many months after the two had met, Scout didn't show up. He'd been coming every single day for the past three months, no matter the weather or conditions.

The BLU Sniper was worried, and also a bit suspicious. _Has something happened to the little koala?_ Sniper wondered. _Oi'd really hate it if something did... I'm gonna go see if he's all right..._ he decided.

He headed back into his base, and into the BLU Spy's room. The idiot had left his disguise kit on his bed again, and Sniper doubted that he'd miss it for an hour or two. He snagged it, and headed back outside.

At the RED/BLU border, he paused to activate the disguise. He didn't know what any of the buttons did, so he pressed a random one in hopes that it would work. There was a whoosh, and he was transformed into the RED Sniper. _Oh well, this'll have to do_.

He crept silently across the border and into the RED base, half expecting Soldier to jump out at him any second. Thankfully, he didn't.

He made it up to the med-bay doors, following the same layout he knew by heart. The RED base was very similar to the BLU one, just a bit more... RED.

The BLU Sniper pushed open the med-bay doors, and stopped short. Medic stood over an unconscious Scout at the end of the room.

He remembered he was disguised as the RED, and approached. "Oi, doc... What happened?" He asked.

Medic looked at him. "He vas shot on ze field, didn't you see it happen? Right after ze buzzer vent off, signaling ze ceasefire..."

Sniper frowned. "Shot by who?" He made a mental not to wring their neck later.

"It vas ze BLU Soldier... He vas hit by a rocket... I- I don't know if he'll make it, Herr Sniper..."

Sniper was concerned for his RED friend. "He'd better... We need him, mate..."

Medic looked at him. "You must really care about ze boy if you've come all ze vay over here, Herr BLU."

The BLU Sniper looked down at himself. _Fuckin' disguise kit... failing after a minute..._  
"Uhhh... Oi- oi should probably go..."

"It's okay, Herr BLU. I won't tell anyone you are over here." Medic assured.

"Thanks mate. I just really care about the little bugger..." Sniper's face fell. "I don't know what I'd do without him... He's the one guy who really keeps me sane, ya'know?"

"I understand. Mein Heavy... he is like that for me as well..." Medic replied quietly.

"We've all got one special person, ain't that right doc?"

"Ja, I do believe you are right..."


	3. Lucky

The BLU Sniper sat down next to Scout's bed.

Medic looked over at the Australian. "I'll make sure nobody comes in here." He said quietly.

"Thanks doc..." The Sniper replied. He took the young boy's hand in his own. The RED Scout was clammy, and looked ill. He was pale, and clearly had lost a lot of blood. "Scout... please don't die..." He whispered.

The Scout mumbled and moved slightly. Sniper was overjoyed to see that he was at least still alive. "Shh... Scout... Don't move, you're going to make it worse..." He whispered.

Scout's eyes opened. "Snipes... what are you doing..." He mumbled, mostly delirious.

"I came to see you, mate... Go back to sleep..."

"Mmmkay..." Scout's eyes closed once again, and his breaths came more rhythmically.

"How long until he gets better?" The BLU called across the room.

"I'd say about... three weeks. _If_ he gets better. His condition is unstable, Herr Sniper. I am doing what I can for the boy. There is not much else I can do but try, and wait."

"If he dies..." The Sniper didn't need to finish his threat.

"I understand..." RED Medic said quietly. "You should go, before someone finds you in here. They'll not understand how much you care about our Scout."

"You're right, I should head out..." The BLU Sniper stood up, then stopped. He leaned over the young American boy, kissed his forehead gently, then headed out the door.

The RED Medic walked over to the Scout. "If you can hear me... you don't know how lucky you are to have someone like him watching over you, Scout. Men like him are often your enemy, and to have one on your side, hypothetically speaking, is a good thing."

"I know, doc..." Scout mumbled.

The Medic smiled. "Now rest. You need ze sleep."

The Scout drifted into unconscious, dreamless sleep, hoping that the Sniper wouldn't give up on him.


	4. Troubling Issues

"He needs ze rest, and so do you, Herr Sniper. You haven't left his side in ze past four hours." A German-accented voice broke the silence, interrupting the boy's peaceful sleep.

"I'm not going until he gets better." The BLU Sniper argued stubbornly.

"Du sind unerbittlich! Fine! You can stay, but only for another hour. If any of my team comes in, and you are caught…"

"I know, I know, Doc. Y'don't have to remind me every time I come over." Scout's eyes opened at the BLU's words. "S-snipes? S'that you?" he mumbled.

"Hey gremlin. How ya' feeling?"

"Honestly? Like shit."

Sniper chuckled. "Sorry t'hear that, mate. The Doc says you can leave the med-bay on Wednesday."

"Really? Sweet!"

"But…" Sniper added quietly.

"But what?"

"Scout…" He sighed. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the Doc and I agree that it's better for me to tell you…"

"Tell me _what_, Snipes?"  
"You won't be able to run any more…" He said quietly.

"_WHAT?_" Scout yelled, then winced in pain. It hurt his chest to yell that loudly. "What do you mean, I can't run any more? Both my legs are perfectly fine!"

"Scout… you don't have both your legs." Sniper whispered.

Scout's eyes grew wide. "No, no no no. There's a hidden camera in here, right? You're punking me! Right?" His voice grew shrill. "Right?"

"I wish we were, Scout. I really wish we were…"

Scout struggled to pull the blankets off his body, not able to in his weakened state.

"Here mate, I'll help you." Sniper slowly pulled back the blanket, revealing Scout's full body.

"Oh god… I think I'm gonna be sick…" Scout mumbled, closing his eyes.

Sniper felt nauseated when he looked at Scout's leg. His right leg was completely normal, but his left leg ended at the knee. The RED's Medic had needed to amputate it, or infection would have spread across his body and killed him.

Scout's stump ended right above the knee, and it was wrapped in a clean bandage. "Snipes…" the boy whispered. "What's going to happen to me?"

Sniper knew that his friend wasn't talking about his physical health. "I don't know, mate."

"If I lose this job… They don't let people just quit… They don't let _anybody_ out alive."

"I know…"

"Are they going to kill me?"

"I won't let anybody touch ya, mate. I promise." Sniper whispered, taking the younger boy's hand in his.


	5. New Leg

Medic had ordered in a special pair of crutches for Scout, and had been re-teaching him to walk on one leg. Scout was having a lot of difficulty managing it, because going slow was a new concept for him.

"C'mon doc, why can't I practice more today?" He whined.

"Because, Scout, you vill injure yourself further, and will be exhausted."

"But DOC!"

"Scout. Don't strain yourself!"

"Fine."

"Doc…"

"Yes, Scout?"

"Will I ever be able to run again?"

"Scout… I cannot honestly say…" Medic said quietly.

"Don't lie to me, man! We both know you know!" Scout shouted.

"I don't know, Scout. If you keep straining yourself, then you may never be able to run. If your condition improves, and Engineer makes a _working_ prosthetic… then maybe, just _maybe_ will you be able to run."

Scout sighed. "What will happen to me, doc? If- if I can't run?"

The Medic remained silent. They both knew the answer to that.

About a week or so later, the Engineer approached Scout. "Hey, son. I- I think this one'll work for ya." He held a heavy-looking steel… thing… in his hand.

"Really? NO WAY!" Scout cheered. "Yo, Doc, c'mere! He thinks this one'll work!"

Medic almost ran over. "You zhink so, Herr Engineer?"

"Ah sure do. This here is made of real titanium, and I'm 90% sure it'll work better than the last three we've tried."

Scout grinned, sitting up in bed.

"Alright Scout. This- this is going to hurt, son. A lot. There's no other way to do it properly, and I ain't gonna sugarcoat it."

"W-what?"

"Lemme see your leg, son."

Scout swung his short leg over the side of the bed, facing the Engineer and Medic.

The next hour was so filled with pain, that Scout couldn't remember much of it when it was over.

Engineer stood back to admire his work. "It doesn't look too shabby, does it?" He grinned. "How's it feel?"

Scout grimaced. "Hurts like _hell_." He spat.

"After a day or so, when the pain stops, you'll be fit to test it out."

"Really?" Scout looked up hopefully.

Medic smiled. "Herr Engineer is right. You need to rest un more day, and zen you can practice valking."

"YES!" Scout shouted, pumping his fist in the air.

Engineer fist bumped the Bostonian with a grin. "Ah think it'll work."

"Scout, I am going to give you zese painkillers, and zen you need to rest." Medic interrupted.

"Doc!" Scout whined.

"He's right, son. You need the rest, because you're going to exhaust yourself tomorrow if ya don't."

Medic walked over to a cupboard, extracting a few items.

He returned to Scouts bedside with a large syringe in his hand, filled with a red liquid. Scout eyed it warily. "Get that thing away from me." He warned.

Quick as lightning, Medic inserted the syringe into Scout's arm, releasing the liquid into his blood stream.

Scout's eyes closed almost immediately, but not before he mumbled a quiet "fuck you for that..."

Engineer left the room, leaving Medic alone with his birds and the sleeping Scout.


	6. Spy's Plans

Scout woke up late the next day, feeling excited. Today he could test his new leg!

Sitting up, he looked around for the Medic. Surprisingly, he was nowhere in sight. "Doc?" He called questioningly. "C'mon, man!

No reply. _where the fuck is he?_ Scout thought to himself. One of Medic's doves fluttered over, perching on the edge of Scout's bed.

"Hey little bird! Watcha' doing over here?" The dove pecked his good knee. "What the hell, bird?" Scout said indignantly. The dove cooed softly.

"Shoo! Go away, dammit!" Scout exclaimed, flapping his hands at the offending bird. It cocked his head and looked at him with a what-the-hell-are-you-doing look.

Scout sighed, sinking back onto his pillow. "I'm boreddduhhh." He moaned, stretching out the word. The bird didn't reply (thankfully).

Suddenly, the med-bay door opened, and silouhetted somebody in the doorway. Not Medic. Who was that? The figure stepped closer, and Scout frowned. The Spy? What was he doing here?

"Bonjour, Scout." The Frenchman greeted monotonously.

"Whaddaya' want?" Scout asked rudely.

"I wanted to come see 'ow my teammate was getting along, of course."

"Fuck off."

Spy stood by Scout's bed, 'accidentally' touching his bad knee. Pain rippled through Scout's body, and he cried out. The dove fluttered off into another corner of the 'bay.

"Oh, does that hurt? It does, doesn't it?" The Spy mocked.

"Go to hell, cockfag." Scout spat, before blacking out from the immense amounts of pain.

The Spy grinned to himself. "So weak..." He muttered.

The med-bay door opened behind him. Medic froze in the doorway. "Oh, hello Herr Spy. I did not expect you to be in here."

"Ah yes, I just wanted to see how Scout was doing."

"You didn't wake him up, did you?"

"No, 'e 'as been asleep ze entire time." Spy lied.

Medic shrugged. "Okay zhen."

Spy quickly left the med-bay. Outside the door, he lit a cigarette, taking a long drag.

He could hear Medic inside, opening and closing cupboards and talking to his birds.

Spy was going to find out a way to get rid of that Scout no matter what it took.

His first attempt had failed- rigging the BLU's sentry so it would target Scout. It was meant to hit him full-on after the battle had ended, where respawn was not an option. The sentry was off slightly, instead only causing the amputation of the boy's knee.

Spy sighed. He was getting sloppy. Whatever he did next had to be done well, and done like a professional.

"Mon dieu." He muttered, blowing smoke into the air. "Zhat boy is driving me insane."

Scout woke up in the middle of the night, hungry. With a start, he realized the last time he'd eaten anything was the piece of toast he'd had yesterday morning.

His stomach rumbled. "Hey Doc?" He asked quietly. He couldn't see very well in the darkness of the med-bay, so it was impossible to tell if Medic was asleep at his desk or in his room.

Craning his neck, he could see the clock across the room, face illuminated by a stream of moonlight filtering through the window. 4:50am. Scout sighed. He knew that he'd never be able to fall back asleep if he was this hungry.

All of a sudden, the door opened quietly, and someone crept inside. Scout couldn't tell who it was, but their movements were similar to Spy's.

The figure came closer, right up to the side of Scout's bed. It _was_ the Spy! Scout pretended to be asleep, curious of what the Frenchman was doing.

The Spy leaned over Scout, and pulled his knife out of his pocket. Kill Scout in his sleep, cloak, hide. That was his plan. He could blame it on the BLU Spy and nobody would know.

The moment his hand touched Scout's shoulder, the boy's eyes flew open. Spy jumped back, cloaking immediately. "DOC! HELP!" Scout yelled, panicking.

Medic in fact, had been asleep at his desk, and now woke to the sound of Scout screaming his head off.

He rushed over to quiet the boy before he woke the rest of the team. "Shh..." He hushed. Scout stopped shouting. "Vhat is it?" He asked.

"Doc, I woke up and the fuckin' Spy was right there! He was gonna kill me!" Scout exclaimed in a hushed voice.

Medic patted his arm. "It vas just a dream, go back to sleep, Scout."

"No! It wasn't a dream! Our Spy was going to kill me!" Scout was getting hysterical, so Medic picked up the sleeping drug he'd used earlier, and injected the remainder into Scout. The boy sank into a deep sleep almost immediately, still mumbling about the Spy.


	7. Practice

Scout woke up in the morning with a splitting headache. He could see Medic bustling about on the other side of the room, opening and closing cabinets.

"Hey Doc, what's up?" He said, sitting up.

Medic smiled and turned to Scout. "Good morning, Scout. How are you feeling?" he asked.

Scout grinned. "Like I can do anything!" he exclaimed.

"Zat's good. After you eat, zen you can practice walking."

"HECK YEAH!"

Scout ate in a hurry, Medic had brought him some pancakes, cooked earlier that morning by Engineer.

When he was finished, Scout smiled at the Engineer and Medic, who both stood by his bed. "I'm ready now. Can we go outside?"

Engineer nodded. "I think you're ready, son."

Medic led the two outside and to an open space behind the building. Engineer set Scout down on a crate and pulled a few more over for him and Medic.

Medic handed Scout the crutches, and he used them to stand up on his good leg. Scout placed the prosthetic on the ground, putting a little bit of pressure on it. He grimaced. "Ah crap, this hurts." He mumbled, applying more pressure.

He took a small step forwards on his good leg, supporting himself with the crutches. "Yo, hardhat, why is this thing so _heavy_?" he whined.

Engineer smiled sympathetically. "Sorry son, you'll get used to it. It'll take a while for your leg to fully accept that your shin's gone- it's used to taking a lot less weight."

Scout shuffled the prosthetic leg forward across the dirt, making another face.

"Scout, you're doing very well for your first day with ze prosthetic." Medic complimented.

"Thanks, Doc. You think I'll ever be able to run again?"

Medic looked from Scout to Engineer and back again.

"Uhm..." He busied himself by adjusting his tie.

"Doc?"

"Ja?"

"You never answered my question."

Engineer chuckled.

"Fine. Scout, I don't know."

"Whaddaya' mean, _you don't know_?"

"It means I do not know."

Scout glared at him. "Why not? Either I can or I can't! Which is it?"

Medic mumbled something in German.

"What?"

"Nein, haben Sie nicht."

"_English, Doc._"

"No, Scout! I highly doubt you vill be able to run ever again!"

Scout looked hurt. "But..."

"Aber nichts! You von't be able to run, Scout."

Tears leaked out of Scout's eyes, streaming down his face. "Engie?" he turned to the Texan. "What do you think?"

"I- I'm not a doctor, son." He didn't want to be stuck in the middle of this argument- he hated arguments.

"But what do you think?"

"...I'm not sure, but there might be a chance." Engineer said.

"Really?!" Scout looked up, his expression changing.

"I said there's a chance, not that you will for sure."  
"Awesome!"

Medic frowned. "He said zere is a chance- a small one. Scout, even if you are able to run, I do not think..." Engineer cut him off with a glare.

Medic sat down on a box, watching the Engineer help Scout walk across the dirt a few times using the crutches as support.


	8. Stepfather

After an hour or so of practice, Scout was tiring. He had almost fallen asleep on his feet foot, only to be caught from falling by the Engineer.

"Son, you oughta' go rest up some." Engineer advised. Medic had gone inside a few minutes before, leaving Engineer and Scout alone.

"C'mon man, I don't wanna go _rest_. I wanna keep practicing until I can actually walk!"

"Rome wasn't built in a day, Scout."

"The FUCK?"

"Never mind..." Engineer sighed.

"C-can I just stay out here for a little while?"

"Alone?"

Scout nodded. He liked being alone, but he hadn't had the chance much, being stuck in the med-bay almost all week.

Engineer thought for a moment, and then nodded. "I think that's fair."

"Awesome!"

"I'm going to send Medic out in about ten minutes, a'right?"

"Fine..."

"Don't go anywhere."

Scout glared at him good-naturedly. "Nah, I think I'm just going to dance across the border and into the BLU base, what do you think?"

Engineer chuckled. "Be safe."

"I will, _Ma._"

Engineer disappeared back into the base, leaving Scout alone outside, sitting on a crate. He inspected the prosthetic he now wore, examining every inch of it.

It was a simple metal setup, with a strap that wrapped around his upper thigh, holding it in place. The main piece was built into his skin now, meaning he could detach the leg, but not the base attached to his upper leg.

Scout sighed. Medic was right. He'd never get to run again. He'd be stuck like this, living a half-life, staying in the med-bay and watching everybody else battle without him.

Somebody coughed behind him. Scout turned to see who it was. The BLU Spy, his stepfather, stood there with a smirk on his face.

"What do you want?" Scout seethed. He was in no mood to speak with Acelin.

"I came to see 'ow my stepson was doing."

"And?"

"'Ow are you?"

"Do you _care_?"

"No, but your mother does."

"_YOU TOLD MY MA?_"

"I 'ad to!"

"..."

"..."

"She called me to see 'ow you were doing, _Matthew._"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME BY MY NAME."

"Really? I believe I do 'ave all ze right to use your name."

"Fine. Then I'm calling you Ass-lid."

"Do you 'ave to be so immature?"

"Yes."

"Your mother is worried about you, Matthew."

"..."

"She wants you to come home."

"She knows I can't."

"That doesn't stop her from wishing you could."

"I'm not going home."

"I know you aren't, Matthew."

"..."

"..."

"I hate you."

"I know."

"Good."

Acelin sighed, and then disappeared into the air. "I'll be watching you, Matthew."


	9. Feelings

Scout sat there on the crate for a bit, alone, watching the sun climb higher in the sky. He wished the BLU Sniper, his friend, was with him, but he was probably busy. He'd been busy ever since Scout had his leg amputated and the prosthetic added.

He sighed. Maybe he was just... tired from the battles or something. Yeah, that was it. Ever since Scout had had his leg amputated, he'd been thinking more and more about the Sniper. He was unsure of his feelings towards the Australian. He thought of the man as a friend, but also something more than a friend.

Scout insisted to himself that he wasn't gay, and for some time, he believed that he wasn't. He decided to go talk to the BLU Sniper as soon as he could fully walk again.

"Ugh, I swear he's gotta be avoiding me or something..." Scout mumbled under his breath.

"Scout?" Medic asked from behind him.

Scout turned, blushing. Had Medic heard him talking to himself?

"Scout, you need to come in und rest. You vill tire yourself too much if you are out here any longer."

"Fine..." Scout said, using the crutches to stand. He followed the German doctor inside to the med bay, where he sat down on the bed that he currently called his.

"Scout, I need to give you some of zis medicine to help you sleep, okay?" Medic asked.

"What kind?" Scout mumbled, not paying attention.

While Scout was distracted with whatever it was, Medic quickly injected him with a purplish red serum.

"Hey, that's unfair..." Scout mumbled, eyes already closed. Within moments, he was asleep.

Medic smiled, tucking the younger boy under the sheets, where he would rest most of the day, and hopefully the night.

/Timeskip/

Scout woke up in the dark. The only light came from the window above him, a faint stream illuminating the clock on his bedside table. 3:00am. He groaned and rolled over in bed. The entire base was asleep at this hour.

_The entire base is asleep at this hour_ he realized, sitting up.

Now was his chance to go visit his friend. Swinging his leg over the side of the bed, he quickly attached the prosthetic.

He used the crutches to prop himself up, and slowly but surely, he made his way across the med-bay. Thankfully, Medic was asleep in his own room, and his doves were all covered in their cages.

Carefully he pushed open the large steel door, careful not to make a sound. He slipped out of the room and down the hall.

Out the front door he went, bare feet making faint footprints in the dirt.

He stumbled once, but caught himself on the wall of the man building. He went around the side of the battlefield, and soon arrived behind the BLU base.

The Sniper's camper was parked only a few feet away, and the lights were off inside. Scout hobbled closer, crutches making little noise in the dark.

He came up to the steps, which he leaned against with his crutches. Timidly, he knocked on the door.

No noise came from within. Obviously, his friend was probably sleeping.

Scout knocked again, with more force this time. Still no reply came from within.

"Yo, Snipes, are you in there?" he called quietly, knocking again.

A light switched on inside, and movement could be heard from within.

The door opened, and Sniper looked out. "Scout, what the hell do you want? I said goodnight to you five hours ago. Didn't you hear me tell you not to come out here?"

Scout looked confused for a second, and then realized it was probably dark and he wasn't wearing his red shirt. "Uh, Snipes?"

"What?"

"I'm the RED Scout."

Sniper then noticed the young boy's crutches. "Oh... uh... hey there, mate. Wotcha' doing out here at three-in-the-bloody-morning?"

"I wanted to talk to you. I couldn't sleep."

"Well you're going to catch a bloody cold if you're out here much longer without a shirt on, mate."

Scout realized he indeed was cold, and the temperature was quite chilly indeed.

"C-can I come in?"

"'Course, mate."

Scout used the crutches to lean on as he entered the small camper, where he sank into a chair.

"G-god, It's pretty cold out..." he mumbled, shivering.

Sniper tossed him a blanket, which he gratefully wrapped around his shoulders. "Thanks."

"Don't catch a cold, that's the last thing ya need."

"Got it."

Sniper sat down in the chair opposite him. "So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Right, that. "Uh... Oh yeah. You've been avoiding me, haven't you?"

"No, mate, I've been busy."

"With what?"

Sniper looked awkwardly around the room. "Uh... I've been... helping our Medic... write something..."

"Write what? You're a Sniper, not a doctor!"

"Fine!" Sniper cried exasperatedly. "Yes, I've been avoiding you! Happy?"

"No, I'm not happy." Scout whispered. "Why have you been avoiding me? I thought we were friends?"

"Scout... we can't be friends, don't you see! It's impossible, and we're both going to get killed if we're caught!"

"Snipes... we were friends for over a year! What the hell happened?"

"I've been thinking..." Sniper began.

"Mmm, that's dangerous."

Sniper rolled his eyes. "Scout, we just can't be friends... I'm sorry... You- you need to go back to the med-bay and rest. You'll get sick..."

"So it's just going to go back to the way it was? With us trying to kill each other over and over again for God knows what?"

"..."

"Snipes... please..."

"Please _what_, mate?"

"I- I...God dammit! I thought we were friends! I thought we might even be more than friends or something! I don't even know any more... It's all so messed up..." Scout broke off, sobbing into the blanket.

"Wait... what?"

"You heard me!"

"Scout... you should go..."

"So you're just going to ignore what I just said?"

"..."

"You're just going to ignore that I practically just told you I'm gay for you, man?"

"..."

"..."

"Screw you. I don't need you. I have other friends. I have friends! I'll show you!" Scout threw the blanket to the floor and stood up.

He promptly slipped, falling to the floor. His sobs grew heavier. "Screw this! Screw you, screw my frickin' leg, screw your stupid camper! SCREW THIS WAR, AND EVERYONE IN IT!" He grabbed his crutches and used them to stand properly again.

"Scout, wait..." Sniper began.

"NO! I AIN'T WAITING FOR SHIT!"

"Scout!"

"Goodbye, asshole!" Scout yelled, storming as best he could on crutches out of the camper. The door closed behind him, and Sniper was alone again.


	10. I Like You, You Like Me

Sniper sighed, putting his head in his hands. He knew Scout was upset with him, and he would be too if he were the boy.

The reason Sniper was avoiding the young Bostonian was because of feelings, if it could sound any sissier.

Sniper lately had been thinking about Scout, more and more, and realized that they were headed towards more than a friendship. Sniper felt more than just a friendship to Scout. He felt something more (Love, if ya hadn't guessed it).

He'd wanted to tell Scout how he felt, but he was afraid of how he'd react. So, naturally, he'd avoided the younger boy.

Scout then noticed Sniper avoiding him, and threw a fit.

Well, at least Sniper now knew that Scout had... feelings... towards him.

Well, it wasn't too late to go after him...

_No,_ Sniper told himself. _I don't need him, it's best if we aren't friends._

He sat there for a minute longer, and then stood up. He was going to go after Scout.

Opening the camper door, he stepped down onto the dirt. He knew the way to the RED base, and it would take Scout quite a long time to get back on his crutches.

He began to head towards the enemy team's base, ducking behind crates and boxes so as not to be spotted.

After he ducked behind another crate, Scout came into view. He had collapsed onto the dirt, crutches lying ignored in the dirt a few feet away. His face was buried in his arms, and he was curled up into a ball, shaking with sobs.

Sniper approached him slowly. "Scout?" He asked quietly.

"Go away!" Scout sobbed, turning away.

"Oi'm sorry, mate..."

"Yeah, right. Screw you and your lame-ass apologies."

"Scout..."

"No."

"Can Oi just talk to you for one minute, please?"

"No."

"Please, Scout. It's important..."

"No. Dude, I don't want to talk to you. Go away and leave me alone."

"Scout!" Sniper sighed exasperatedly.

"NO. Do you not know what 'no' means? IT MEANS LEAVE ME THE HECK ALONE."

Sniper sat down next to the small boy. "Scout, please, just listen to me for foive minutes, then you can do whatever you want. I don't care if you kill me or if you hate me for the rest of your loife or whatever, just... hear me out, please..."

"Fine..." Scout mumbled, turning to face the Australian. "What is it?"

"Scout... you were right, Oi have been avoiding you, and Oi'm sorry. Oi-Oi've been avoiding you because of my feelings..."

"Say what now?" Scout asked, looking at his friend.

"Scout... Oi really loike you..."

"Y-you like me?"

"As more than a friend..."

"Like... more than a best friend?"

"Scout... Oi think Oi love you..."

"..."

"..."

"Snipes?"

"Hmmm...?"

"I- I think I love you too..." Scout whispered, leaning close to the Australian.

Their kiss was soft and gentle, and when they pulled away, Scout had stopped crying.

"Oi- Oi didn't realize you felt the same way..." Scout mumbled.

"I didn't either..." Sniper whispered back.

Scout buried his face in the Australian's shirt.

Sniper smiled, wrapping his arms protectively around the younger boy.


	11. Walking

The two mercenaries sat there in the dust for a while, until Scout began to shiver. "It's c-cold out..." He said, rubbing his arms.

"You need to get back insoide, mate." Sniper suggested. "Let's go." He picked up Scout in his arms, earning a small yelp from the boy.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Bringing you insoide."

"Wha- I can walk! I ain't crippled! Oh wait..." Scout facepalmed.

Sniper chuckled. "Yeah, you are. C'mon ya gremlin, you need to go sleep. In the med-bay. Where it's _warm_."

"But... I wanna stay with you..."

"Sorry mate, ya gotta rest. If you catch a cold Medic will never forgive me for letting you outsoide."

"Fiiiiiiiinnnnneeee..."

"Good."

Sniper pushed open the med-bay door gently, and carried Scout to his small bed.

He tucked his young friend under the covers, and smiled.

"Goodnoight luv..."

"G'night Snipes..." Scout's eyes closed, and within two minutes, he was asleep.

Sniper smiled, ruffled his hair gently and then left the med-bay.

-

In the morning, Medic entered the med-bay. Seeing Scout asleep in his bed, he smiled.

Walking over to the young boy, he pushed his hair away from his face.

"Nooo..." Scout muttered softly.

Medic looked to him, but Scout's eyes were shut, and his breathing was still steady.

"No... don't touch me..." He mumbled.

"Scout?" Medic asked.

"Stop... I ain't like that..."

"Scout, wake up!"

"NO! GET OFF OF ME YOU FA-" Scout yelled, sitting straight up.

Medic jumped back, hands up and palms out in surrender.

Scout looked around. "I was dreamin', weren't I..." It wasn't a question.

Medic put his hands down slowly.

"Sorry man... didn't mean ta' scare ya... Was havin' a nightmare again... Ma told me I talk in my sleep a lot..."

"Are you alright now?"

"Yeah..."

"Vhat vere you dreaming about?"

Scout made a funny face and he blushed lightly. "N-nothin..."

Medic sighed. "If you don't vant to tell me, zen fine. It can help to talk about your nightmares vith someone..."

"Just an old memory... nothin' more..."

"Okay zen. Remember Scout, I am here for you if you need me."

"Uh-huh... thanks doc..."

"No problem, Scout."

"Mmm... Doc, I'm hungry..." Scout whined.

Medic rolled his eyes. "Alright, get up and put your shirt on, I vill valk you to ze kitchen."

Scout pulled his red shirt over his head, ignoring the fact that it ruffled up his hair even more.

Medic noticed something. "Scout?"

"Hm?"

"Vhere are your crutches?"

Scout froze. "I uh... I dunno..."

Medic rolled his eyes. "Do you zhink you can valk on your own?"

"I dunno?" Scout swung his legs over the side of the bed, resting them gently on the floor. Taking Medic's hand as support, he slowly stood up. He cautiously took his first step, and then the next. He still hadn't fallen by the time they reached the door.

"DOC, I'M WALKIN!"

Medic was happy for the young Bostonian. "Zat is vonderful, Scout!"

"Hahaha! Awesome!" Scout let go of Medic's hand and took a few steps on his own. "I CAN DO IT, MAN!"

Medic smiled. Seeing Scout happy brought everyone's spirits up, no matter what.

Engineer was in the kitchen, making pancakes. "Hey Scout! You're walking! That's amazin', son!"

Scout grinned. "I know right?" He sat down at the table and Engineer handed him a plate loaded with pancakes.

Scout dug in immediately. "Thanks Engie!" He mumbled around a mouthful.

"You're welcome, Scout."


	12. Knowledge

Scout and Medic headed back to the med-bay together after breakfast.

Medic sat down at his desk and began to write.

"Hey Doc, whatcha' writing?"

"Somezhing important."

"What?"

"Could you not interrupt me when I'm vorking?"

"Well if you'd let me OUTSIDE, maybe I wouldn't bother ya'!"

Medic sighed. "Fine. Be back sometime before dinner. Don't get yourself killed, and _stay off of BLU territory_."

"BUT DOC!"

"Scout, don't argue. If you're caught over there, you can't run away."

"Fine..."

"Good. Stay out of trouble..." He added, but Scout was already out the door.

Heading outside, Scout stopped to breathe in the fresh air. Man, it felt so good to be outside!

Ignoring Medic's warning, he headed behind the base, and around to the back of the BLU base, where Sniper's van was located.

He walked up to the door in back, and knocked timidly.

"What?" A tired voice asked from inside.

"Hey, uh, Snipes, s'me..." Scout said quietly.

The door opened quickly, and Sniper pulled the RED inside. "You're going to get caught over here, mate." He said to his friend.

"I know, I know... I just wanted to come talk to you..."

"About?" Sniper asked, curious.

"Did you really mean what you said last night? That you love me?"

Sniper nodded slowly. "Yeah mate, Oi did..."

"Really?" Scout was overjoyed.

"Really." Sniper said with a smile.

Standing on his tiptoes, Scout pressed a quick kiss to the BLU's lips, blushing.

Sniper blushed as well. "Hey, d'ys want a drink?" He offered.

"Sure! Whatcha' got?" Scout queried.

"Coffee, water... ah, that's about it, mate."

"Dude can I have some coffee?"

"Are you allowed?"

Scout rolled his eyes. "I'm 23! Of course I'm _allowed_."

"I mean, does your Medic let you?"

"I dunno..."

"Ah, whatever. Come sit down." Sniper gestured to the small table that took up most of the space in the van.

Scout flopped into the booth, relaxing almost immediately.

Sniper poured some coffee into a spare mug, and handed it to Scout. He placed a small jar of sugar on the table, and sat down as well, next to Scout.

Scout took the small spoon, scooping multiple spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee.

Sniper raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Nothing..."

Scout shrugged and put down the spoon. Taking a sip of coffee, he smiled. "S'good... I haven't had coffee in like forever, man..."

Sniper grinned. It was hard not to smile when Scout was smiling.

Scout finished his coffee in record time, setting down the mug. He leaned against Sniper, a relaxed expression on his face.

"Medic says coffee makes me tired... isn't it supposed to make people all hyper n'stuff?"

Sniper shrugged. "All it does for me is wake me up, mate. Oi dunno about the rest of ya..."

"Huh..." Scout let out a yawn. "Mmmm... I'm tired now..."

Sniper pulled the boy into his lap, and Scout pushed his hat and headset off his head.

"Can I sleep?"

"Of course..." Sniper assured with a smile. Within minutes, Scout was fast asleep.

Running his hand through Scout's hair, he smiled. "You're adorable, ya little gremlin..." He whispered.

"Indeed..." A nasally French voice sounded from somewhere to his right.

"Spy!" Sniper hissed, not wanting to wake up Scout.

The RED Spy decloaked and stood there a foot or so away. "Well, zis is interesting... I'm sure zat ze BLU Spy would love to 'ear about zis..." He commented.

"Hey, you tell Scout's ass of a stepfather anything, and I'll pull your intestines out through your eyes." Sniper growled.

"Ooh, I think my bunny slippers just ran for cover." Spy said with a smirk. In all honesty though, he was terrified of the bushman, especially when he was protecting something important to him.

"Don't you go tellin' _anybody_, y'hear?"

"Fine. One one condition."

"What?" Sniper snapped.

"You let me kill you next battle."

"That's it?!"

"Oui."

"Fine. I'll respawn anyways."

"Goodbye, Sniper." Spy said, and with a grin, he cloaked. The door opened and closed, and the Spy was gone.


	13. Respawn

Sniper woke up early the next morning. Last night, around 6, Scout had woken up and headed off back to his own base, leaving Sniper alone once again in his van.

He showered quickly, getting ready for the battle that was to start in an hour.

He headed into the BLU base where the rest of his team was eating breakfast.

"G'mornin', everybody..." He said, sitting down at the large table without a plate.

"You ain't hungry?" Scout asked, mouth full of eggs.

Sniper shook his head. "Oi work best on an empty stomach, mate."

Scout shrugged and continued to stuff his face with more eggs.

"Good morning, maggots!" Soldier yelled, storming into the room, uniform on and rocket launcher in hand.

"Ah, Solly, wouldja' mind putting that damn thing away before you blow up the stove again?" Engineer asked from over by the refrigerator.

"No! Sun Tzu was always ready hours before battle, and I will be so too!" Soldier insisted.

The entire team (except for Soldier of course) groaned, sick of hearing the same ramblings day after day.

"Battle against leetle REDs in ten minute!" Heavy announced, standing up from the table. Medic nodded. "Is everyone ready?" The rest of the team answered in a variety of ways, from "Oui..." To "Hell yeah!" To "WE MUST NOT DISAPPOINT SUN TZU!"

Engineer stepped out from the refrigerator, adjusting his helmet slightly. "Alrighty boys, are we still stickin' with the partner plan?" He asked casually.

Soldier nodded enthusiastically. "Everybody, pair up!" He ordered. Within moments, almost everybody had a partner.

Medic stood by Heavy, as was expected, Soldier paired up with Engineer, who surprisingly didn't resist being paired up with the lunatic, Scout paired up with Pyro, they were always a good team, and Spy paired up with Demoman. It was either Demo or Sniper, and truth be told, Spy was a little bit terrified of the Australian, although he would never admit it.

Sniper shrugged, leaning back in his chair. He was fine without a partner- it made his job just that much easier.

"Mission begins in 5 minutes." The Announcer's voice rang through the speakers mounted on every other wall.

The team got to their feet (those who were sitting, of course), and headed towards the respawn room.

Sniper followed the group a little ways behind, avoiding the crowd of his teammates.

"Hey there, Stretch..." Engineer said. Sniper hadn't noticed the shorter man walking beside him until he'd spoken. "Oh, hey Shorty..." Sniper grinned slightly. "You ready for the battle?"

Engineer nodded. "As ready as ever. You?"

Sniper nodded. "Oi think so... Also, Engie, when was th'last toime ya checked up on the respawn system?"

"A while ago... Nobody's been able to get in there since they closed it up t'prevent Spies messin' with it..."

Sniper felt somewhat relieved. "Alright, thanks mate."

"No problem... Somethin' on your mind, Stretch? You seem a bit off this moring..." Engineer commented.

Sniper frowned. "Oi do?"

"Yeah..."

"Hmm... Oi'm foine though, jus' a bit toired."

"Alright, as long as you're feelin' well, buddy." Engineer smiled at his weary friend.

They entered the respawn room, where everyone else was already waiting.

"Mission begins in 60 seconds."

Everybody stood their position, weapons ready.

Mission begins in 5...4...3...2...1...Begin!"

The door opened, and the mercenaries sprinted out of the room. Sniper immediately headed for his tower, where he could camp out and shoot from a distance.

Once he'd climbed the ladder, he readied his rifle, looking through the scope down into RED territory.

"Bonjour, mon ami." A familiar French voice spoke from behind him. Sniper turned, facing the direction he thought the invisible spy hid.

The RED Spy de cloaked a foot or two to his left, and Sniper frowned. "What do you want, Spook?"

Spy rolled his eyes. "You know what I want." He said with a soft sigh.

"Yer free kill, Oi get it... Whoi do ya wanna kill me anyways? I'm not going to respawn until the end loike the others, yeah, what's the point in that? There's nothin' ya gain, unless ya think Oi'm gonna stop yeh from winnin' of course..." He trailed off thinking. While he was distracted. Spy quickly ducked behind him, effectively backstabbing him.

Sniper fell to the ground, dead. A minute or two later, his body disappeared, vanishing into the air.

-

After the battle, only three people were in the respawn room. The three were those who had died in battle. The respawn system worked simply- you died, and were revived in the small white room after the battle had ended. Respawn was disabled between battles, of course.

The three in the respawn room were Scout, naturally, Spy, fairly unusual, and Sniper, of course.

The BLU Spy was the first to stand up, brushing dirt from his suit.

Looking down, he noticed something wrong almost immediately. "Sniper?" He asked.

Sniper sat up, running a hand through his hair. He paused. His hair felt... different. Slightly longer, and his sideburns were gone? "What did ya do to moi hair, mate?" He asked.

His voice was less rough, younger even. "Wot the-?" Sniper said, noticing his hands. They were smooth, and... Small?

"Sniper... You..." Spy let out an awkward snort.

Scout stood up, noticing Sniper as well. "Dude, you look like a freakin' kid!" He cried, laughing so hard tears fell from his eyes.

"OI WHAT?!" Sniper yelled, jumping to his feet. Looking around, he realized that he was now several heads shorter than Spy, and a head or so shorter than Scout.

"You've got to be kidding me..." He moaned, putting his small hands against his face.

"Dude, what even?" Scout asked, trying to stop laughing. He couldn't, and a fresh bubble of laughter escaped his lips.

"Oh my God... Oi'm gonna kill whoever did this!" Sniper raged. Of course, he did indeed know who was behind this. The RED Spy.

Scout raced out of the room, and loud talking came from down the corridor where he'd gone.

"He's like freakin' thirteen, man!" Scout laughed.

Medic hurried down the hall, stopping inside the respawn room. "Mein Gott..." He said. "Herr Sniper?"

"Oi know, Oi know... Oi'm thirteen... Oi'm wonderin' how moi clothes actually fit me actually..."

"Side effect of ze respawn, I assume..."

"Nurse, ya gotta fix me! Oi can't be loike this forever!"

"I think zhat zis vill vear off after ze next death, during tomorrow's battle." Medic mused, adjusting his glasses with a gloved hand.

"Oi have to be loike this overnoight?!"

"Vell, zere is no other way..."

Sniper stomped his foot, and Medic smiled at his childish behavior. "Oi'm going to my van... g'night all... GAH..." He stormed out of the room, Kukri looking much less threatening in his smaller hands.


	14. Reaction

Scout had been inside all day, due to the battle. He'd borrowed a book from Medic, and had been reading it for most of the afternoon.

Over the loudspeaker, he could hear the Announcer's voice. "You have won." She stated. Scout smiled.

Standing up from his small bed- Medic had let him move back to his own room now that he could walk- he headed out towards the respawn room to wait for his team.

The Engineer and Pyro were the only two in the 'spawn room so far, and Scout waved, opening the door. "Heya, how was the battle?" He asked.

"It was okay, we won though." Engineer said.

"So I heard, nice goin'!"

"Yeah, Ah didn't do much, died about halfway through…"

"Hey, it doesn't matter, we still won, eh?"

"You're right, it don't matter none."

Pyro waved at Scout. "Hudda hudda!"

Scout gave him the thumbs up. "Nice job, dude."

The rest of the team came around the corner, looking tired. "Hey guys! Nice job out there!" Scout said with a smile.

Spy was the only one looking extremely happy, which was quite unusual. "Ey, Spy, what's up with ya' face?" Scout asked.

Spy shrugged, still smirking. "Just 'appy we won, mon ami…"

"Alright, cool I guess…" Scout said, turning and heading back down the hall towards his room. He stood in the halway until Medic walked past, then caught up with the German. "Hey, Doc?"

"Ja?" Medic asked tiredly.

"Can ya' cover for me? I wanna go visit Snipes…"

Medic nodded. "Ja, I can. Be careful, okay?"

"Got it…" Scout spoke the words as he turned and headed outside. He walked around the back of the base and towards the BLU side, where Sniper's van was parked.

He knocked on the door, hoping the BLU was inside.

"Whaddaya' want?" Sniper asked from inside. His voice sounded a little bit different, perhaps he was sick?

"Hey, uh, Snipes, s'me…" Scout said timidly.

"Scout, s'not a good toime… Oi'm sick…"

"Dude, please can I come in? I'm bored!"

He could hear Sniper sigh inside. "No Scout… Oi'm… sick…"

"Ya don't sound too sick, just a bit different… what's goin' on?"

"Oi'm foine, nothin's th'matter…" Sniper replied.

"Duuuuude! Let me in!"

"Foine! Th'door's unlocked! Jus'... promise not t'laugh, okay?" Scout frowned. What was Sniper talking about?

"Alright, man…"

He opened the door and stepped into the small van. Sniper was seated at the small table, in the booth on the farther side. He had his head against the table, and Scout couldn't see his face.

Scout froze about a foot away. "Ey, Snipes, what did ya' do to yer hair?" He asked, curious

Sniper sat up, and Scout let out a giggle.

"Hey, you promised not to laugh!"

"Sorry, s'just… you look like a kid! What hapened?!" He covered his mouth to stop his laughter, but it was harder than he'd thought.

He flopped into the booth across from Sniper, still chuckling.

"Respawn accident…" Sniper frowned.

"Dude, that's just… messed up but funny as hell at the same time!"

Sniper made a face at Scout.

"Ya even actin' like a kid!"

"Scout!" Sniper exclaimed, exasperated.

"Dude, ya' freakin' adorable!"

Sniper frowned and pouted. "Oi am not!" He denied, blushing a little.

"Ya even blushin' too!"

"Scout!"

"Fine, fine, I'll stop… but it don't change th'fact that ya' the cutest freakin' thing!" Scout said with a happy grin.

Sniper rolled his eyes, and Scout stood up. "Dude, c'mere…" he smiled.

Sniper reluctantly stood up. "What?"

Scout let out a happy squeal, and picked up Sniper in a hug.

"Hey! Scout!" Sniper objected, struggling a little. "Put me down!"

"Nope! Ya too cute t'let go of!"

"OI'M NOT CUTE!"

Scout kissed the top of his head, and set him down. "Ya are…"

Sniper stalked over to the couch, sinking down onto it. "No, Oi'm not."

"Hey, when does it wear off?"

"When? Oh, Medic said prob'ly after next battle…"

Scout snorted. "You're stuck like that overnight?" He exclaimed.

"Yes." Sniper replied with a frown.

"Hey, can I spend the night with ya then?"

"Foine… but no more callin' me cute!"

"Fiiiiiiine…"

Scout sat down next to Sniper on the couch, and Sniper leaned against him. "Oi should be the one ya' leaning against, not th'other way 'round…" Sniper said with a huff.

"Hah, in ya dreams."

"You know ya' love me, Scout."

"You're right, I can't deny it. They both smiled when Scout said that.

"Luv ya too, mate…"

"Y'know, I'd kiss ya' right now, 'cept ya' like frickin' thirteen…"

Sniper smiled. "Oi know… Tomorrow, after th'battle, Oi'll make it up to ya, hm?"

Scout hugged him again. "Cool."


	15. Kisses

Hey, loser, wake up..." Scout whispered, gently nudging the young form of the Australian beside him.

"Mmnhh... Lemme sleep..." The thirteen-year-old version of the BLU Sniper mumbled.

"C'mon, man, there's a battle in half an hour! You slept in!"

That woke Sniper up immediately. "There is?!"

Scout laughed. "Naw, man, just messin' with ya. The battle's in like two hours or so."

"Scout!" Sniper cried, exasperated.

"C'mon man, the sooner you get up, the sooner you get killed, n'the sooner you can get back to normal." Scout said with a grin.

"Foine, foine. Oi'm up..." Sniper mumbled, hopping out of bed and running a hand through his hair. "Where's my hat?"

Scout tossed it to him from the small couch where he now sat. "Dude, I gotta go. If Medic finds out I've been over here, he'll frickin' kill me!"

"Well what are you waiting around for? Go!"

"Hah, I wish I had a camera... Ya so frickin' cute~"

"Scout!"

"Awright, awright! I'm going!" Scout laughed, exiting the camper.

Sniper smiled. Scout was an annoying brat sometimes, but now he was _his_ annoying brat.

After he showered quickly, Sniper headed back into the base, aware of the fact that he would have to face his teammates as a thirteen-year-old.

xXx

Scout, on the other hand, was trying to get back to his room before anybody noticed he was gone. His bedroom window was open a crack, he noticed, as he sprinted around the side of the building.

He shoved it open, practically diving inside and landing on his stomach with a loud 'oof'.

As he struggled to get the rest of his body inside, somebody knocked on the door.

"Scout? Are you okay in zhere? I hear a noise. Did you fall over?" Medic asked.

"Yeah! I'm fine, Doc! I just... Tripped. Yeah, I tripped."

"Are you sure? You veren't outside, vere you?"

"Nope! Been inside this whole time!"

"Alright. Oh, Herr Engineer has made pancakes for breakfast. Again."

"Sweet! Hold on, I'm coming!" Scout quickly ran a hand through his hair, throwing on his hat and placing his headset around his neck. He swung the door open, and Medic nearly fell in, having been leaning against it. "Slow down, Scout!" He chastised, a small smile on his face.

"I'm a Scout! I neva' slow down!" He cheered as he hurried down the hall. "Ugh, I can't run with this... It keeps sticking, and I almost trip if I go any faster than a walk." Scout moaned as he walked. "But," he added. "At least I can walk! Dude, I dunno what I woulda done if I couldn't walk any more..."

Medic didn't reply as he followed Scout down the hall.

"Seriously though, Doc, what am I gonna do if I can't run? I mean, what use is a Scout that can't run? They'd replace me... Or worse..."

"Scout, cheer up. I'm sure you eventually vill be able to run again, at least at zhe rate you are going." Medic consoled.

Scout froze, turning to face Medic. "Ya think so? Ya really think so?"

Medic shrugged. "Sure, if you- oof!" He was interrupted by a heavy hug from Scout. "Frikkin' awesome, man! Thank you!" Medic smiled and awkwardly patted Scout's back. "You are most velcome, Junge."

Scout let go of him. "C'mon man, let's go get food now. I'm frikkin' starved!"

xXx

Sniper swung open the mess hall door, keeping his eyes down, avoiding eye contact with his team.

"Hey, th'wee laddie is here!" Demo announced as Sniper entered.

"So 'e is... So 'e is." Spy said, trying not to laugh.

The BLU Scout, on the other hand, was laughing so hard tears streamed down his face. "Du-ude! S'frikkin' hilarious!"

"Scout?"

Scout calmed down slightly, looking at the mini-Australian. "What?"

"Shut up." Sniper growled, but it came out as more of a squeak.

The team burst into laughter, and Sniper left the room quickly, slamming the large door behind him. He swore loudly, heading to the respawn room to wait until the battle started.

xXx

Scout dug into his pancakes greedily, shoveling bite after bite into his mouth. Medic looked to Engineer, who shrugged. They were the only three in the room, somewhat unusual for an hour before a battle.

"Yo, Hardhat, where is everyone?" Scout asked, swallowing quickly.

"Outside. Solly's givin' 'em a lecture on... moral law or something of the sort."

"Hm. Why ain't you outside?"

"Because ah'm making pancakes, son."

"Oh."

"Battle begins In fifteen minutes." The Announcer's voice rang out.

"Hag." Scout muttered under his breath.

"Scout! She has ears everyvhere, dummkopf!" Medic scolded, frowning.

"Don't be such a worrywart, Doc! She ain't gonna kill me!" Scout replied.

"And how can you be so sure of zhat?"

"..."

"Exactly. Vatch vhat you say."

Scout rolled his eyes. "Whatever, _Ma_."

A minute or so later, the rest of the team entered the mess hall, looking weary and tired. All of them, that is, except for Soldier, who stood there looking awake and alert. Shovel in hand, he walked over to where Engineer stood. "Pancakes? Good job, private!"

Was it just Scout's imagination, or did he see a faint blush spread across Engineer's face? "Aw, it was nothin', Soldier." He _was_ blushing. Strange.

Everybody ate quickly, and headed down to the respawn room to begin the battle.

xXx

The battle had ended half an hour ago, and Scout stood in front of Sniper's van. "Dude, open up! Ya back to normal, right?"

Sniper pulled open the door with a grin. "Hello, mate." Indeed he was back to his normal state, and Scout was no longer older.

Scout scampered into the camper, and Sniper closed the door quickly behind him. They both sat down on the small couch, side by side. Sniper pulled a small box of cigarettes out of his pocket, and lit it with a small lighter that had sat on the table.

"Can I have one?" Scout asked, curious. He'd never smoked before.

"No."

"Pleeeease?"

"Scout, do you know what these things do to you? They kill you. They are literally cancer in a stick, mate."

"Then why do you smoke 'em?"

"Because running isn't my job." Sniper replied with a shrug.

"Loser." Scout stuck his tongue out at the Australian, who rolled his eyes in return.

Sniper finished his cigarette after a minute or so, crushing it out in the small black ashtray on the coffee table.

"What do they taste like?"

Sniper was slightly surprised at the question. "Well..." Then he had an idea. "You really want to know, mate?"

Scout nodded. "Yeah."

"Can Oi show you?"

Scout grinned, catching on. "Yes~"

They both leaned in, lips meeting softly. Scout closed his eyes, letting Sniper 'lead'. When they pulled away, Scout had a smile on his face.

"Mind if I try again?" He asked casually.

Sniper grinned. "Of course. But first, let's move somewhere a little more comfortable."

They moved to the bed, and Scout flopped down with a cocky smile. "Dominate me, chucklehead."

"Gladly." Sniper growled in reply, leaning down to capture the younger man's lips with his own.


	16. Packing

Scout woke up the next morning up against his sleeping lover. With a soft smile, he recalled the previous evening's events. The kiss had turned into something more, and by the end of the night, Scout was no longer a virgin.

Sniper's arm was wrapped around the younger protectively, and Scout turned it slightly to glimpse his watch. 5:45 am. Early. Too early. He let out a yawn and snuggled back into the BLU, falling asleep again.

Scout woke for the second time that morning to the smell of coffee. He sat up, rubbing his eyes. Sniper wasn't in the bed any more. He was, in fact, across the van, preparing coffee, looking clean and showered. He turned and smiled when he noticed Scout was awake. "G'morning, luv..."

"Morning..." Scout let out another yawn, stretching and cracking his shoulders. "What'd I miss?"

Sniper shrugged. "Nothing much, it's a ceasefire day, though."

"Sweet..." Scout smiled back at him. "Hey, can I use ya shower? I need one..."

Sniper chuckled. "Of course, mate."

Scout nodded his thanks and headed into the small bathroom.

Sniper could hear the shower being turned on, and he sat down on the couch with his coffee.

Humming to himself, he picked up a book, flipping through the pages once before setting it back down on the coffee table.

Suddenly, Scout's headset beeped. Sniper picked it up from the floor where it had fallen overnight, and listened. "Both teams will have a ceasefire holiday of two weeks. Trains out are tomorrow and Sunday, and return in two weeks." The Announcer's voice spoke through the headset.

Sniper smiled and set down the device, flopping back down onto the couch. He was already thinking of what he cod do during those two weeks. Perhaps he could go hunting up north, or he could take Scout out to the coast...

Scout stepped out of the shower a few minutes later, shirtless and with a towel around his neck. "What up?"

Sniper chuckled. "We've got a two week holiday, mate."

"No way! Really?"

Yeah, Oi'm pretty glad myself."

"Awesome. Where ya gonna go?"

Sniper shrugged. "Pro'lly up north. Oi know one of the trains goes up to Seattle, so Oi'll pro'lly head up that way and go from there."

Scout let out a small gasp. "Sweet! We gonna be on the same train then!"

"Wot? Why're you headed up there?"

Scout grinned proudly. "S'my home."

"Oh, really?"

"Yup! Ever been up there before?"

"Actually, no, Oi haven't. Oi haven't been to Washington state at all before."

"I... uh... could show you around, if ya want... Unless ya wanna be alone for the trip, o'course..."

Sniper grinned. "Oi was hoping you'd offer."

Now it was Scout's turn to smile. "Awesome. So it's settled, then. We leave tomorrow!"

Sniper laughed. "You'd best get packing, mate."

"Right, right. Ah, where's my shirt..." Scout mumbled, searching around for his RED tee shirt.

"Ah. Here it is." He announced, picking it up and pulling it over his head. "I'mma head back, 'kay? If I don't see ya, I'll see ya in the morning, alright?"

Sniper nodded, and Scout walked over, planting a quick kiss on the Australian's lips. "See ya..." He said quietly, leaving the van. He made it back to his base without trouble, but froze when he noticed his window was open. Had he left it open overnight?

With a shrug, the boy hefted himself up, sliding into the room and landing on his stomach. "Dammit..." He mumbled, standing up. He closed his window and sighed.

He turned around, and nearly shit himself. Medic was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking at him with an expression he couldn't place.

"Doc! The hell are you doing in here?" He hissed.

Medic stood up. "Vhere have you been? I've been vorried _sick_! Zhe ozhers vere getting suspicious after you missed breakfast, so I had to cover for you. Zey zhink you are sick, and unvell."

"Oh... uh, thanks..."

"You are velcome, but Vhere vere you? I zhought you had been taken by zhe BLUs!"

Scout chuckled. _Taken by a certain BLU in particular_.

"I... uh... was doin' stuff..."

Medic frowned. "You veren't vizh _him_, vere you?"

"I... y'see, funny thing is, Doc..."

Medic took a sharp intake of breath. "You vere over on BLU territory?_Dummkopf_! You could have been caught! Being on zhe enemy territory izh vone zhing, but _fraternizing vizh zhe enemy_? Zhat can get you _killed_!"

Scout jumped at his words. "I wasn't fraternizin' with anybody!"

Medic rolled his eyes. "Scout, zhere is semen on your shirt. Unless you snuck over to zhe ozher base to masturbate in a storage closet, I'm going to assume you vere vizh zheir Sniper."

"Jeez, Doc. Just, ew. Ugh." Scout shuddered, pulling off his shirt and rummaging through his closet for a new one.

He pulled it on, and Medic spoke again. "Scout, you are going to get caught! I'm serious! _Zhey vill kill you._"

Scout turned to him, an angry expression on his face. "I get it, okay? Just shut up! I know I can get caught, I know! I just can't help myself! I _love_him, man! I won't get caught, so you can stop acting like my _Ma_, and more like our goddamned _Medic_."

"Scout..."

"Can it, Doc! Just- get out. Go. Seriously. I don't need you bitching at me every time I leave your sight. I'm twenty three, Doc- I ain't a kid any more!"

Medic sighed. "I know you aren't a child, Scout..." He left the room with another sigh, heading down the hall.

Scout sank down onto his bed, putting his head in his hands. All of what he's said was true. He was sick of Medic treating him like a little kid, but deep inside he knew that the German was only worried for his safety.

He stood up and headed out of his room, walking down the hall towards the med-bay. He spotted Medic down the hall a ways, and hurried to catch up. "Hey, Doc, wait." He called.

The German stopped, turning to face the younger boy. "Vhat?" His reply was harsh, almost biting.

Scout winced. "I- I wanted to say I was sorry... I overreacted... I just... it feels like everyone treats me like a kid, just because I'm the youngest. I know ya care 'bout me, something the others don't do... thanks..."

Medic was taken aback; he had not expected to hear a thank you, and an apology, no less. "You're velcome, Junge." He replied, smiling softly.

"Yeah... so... sorry about everything..."

"It's okay."

"Thanks man."

"No problem."

Scout smiled, and they parted ways, Medic down to his office to do research, and Scout to his room to pack.


End file.
